By Aaron Bearden, Motorsports Editor

On the day following each regular season points race, Kickin’ the Tires takes a deep look at the current playoff grids for both the NASCAR XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series, evaluating the postseason picture for NASCAR’s second and third tours. 

XFINITY Series

Track: Daytona International Speedway

Event: PowerShares QQQ 300

Race Winner: Tyler Reddick

Stage Winner(s): Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott

Who Won Big

• Tyler Reddick: Welcome to the playoffs, young man. Reddick survived the war of attrition and edged teammate Elliott Sadler at the start-finish line to claim a victory in his JR Motorsports debut. As a result, the Californian’s playoff berth is all-but guaranteed, and he’ll have five playoff points to carry into them.
• Ryan Truex: Assuming Kaulig Racing’s role as an underdog team remains for the coming year, then Saturday’s Daytona result is one for the team to be proud of. Truex made a tremendous save and maneuvered his No. 11 Chevrolet to a seventh-place result at the 2.5-mile oval, starting the year firmly inside of the 12-car playoff grid.
• Spencer Gallagher and Brandon Jones: The 2017 season was rough for Gallagher and Jones, but their 2018 years began on the right note. Gallagher matched his top 10 total for last year in the race, and Jones came two results away from matching his mark as well.

 Who Hurt Their Odds:

• Austin Cindric and Christopher Bell: Bell and Cindric were Championship 4 participants in the Truck Series last season, but the first race of their rookie year in the XFINITY Series didn’t go according to plan. Cindric’s No. 60 Ford was loose, and it ultimately sent the Roush Fenway Racing shoe around and into Bell in a crash that forced both drivers out of the race before the first pit stop.
• Justin Allgaier: He’s almost certainly a lock to make the 2018 playoffs, but Allgaier’s year began behind the wall. The Illinoisan was eliminated in the first of four NASCAR Overtime crashes, slotting in 31st at day’s end.

Playoff Standings: 

*Technically ineligible due to missed races. Would require a waiver to make the playoffs.

Playoff Points

Stage Points

Daytona Results

Season Totals

Camping World Truck Series

Track: Daytona International Speedway

Event: NextEra Energy Resources 250

Race Winner: Johnny Sauter

Stage Winner(s): David Gilliland, Johnny Sauter

Who Won Big

• Johnny Sauter: If there was any fear that Sauter would suffer a letdown after his heartbreaking runner-up points result in 2018, the Wisconsinite quickly squelched it. Sauter claimed one of the two stages and dominated the final run to the checkered flag to claim a season-opening win at Daytona – earning a likely playoff berth and six playoff points in the process.
• Justin Haley: One year ago an inability to race at Daytona due to his age kept Haley from battling for a playoff spot on points. This season Haley’s playoff push may have been jumpstarted at the facility. The Hoosier survived the war of attrition and claimed a second-place finish to establish himself inside of the early playoff grid.
• Grant Enfinger/Dalton Sargeant: It was an eventful night for the two ThorSport Racing teammates, but they each survived it to tally top-10 results and leave Daytona tied for third in the standings. Perhaps it wasn’t a memorable weekend for them, but it was certainly a necessary one.

 Who Hurt Their Odds:

• Brett Moffitt: One year removed from missing the playoffs on a tiebreaker, Hattori Racing arrived at Daytona with team newcomer Moffitt and cause for optimism. But the team was taken out in a crash and tallied only 11 points in the season-opener, leaving themselves in an early championship hole.
• Noah Gragson: After a strong close to his 2017 campaign, Gragson appears poised to lead Kyle Busch Motorsports’ championship pursuit in his second Truck Series season. But the Nevadan will have to bounce back from an early setback to do so after crashing out at Daytona in 23rd.

Playoff Standings: 

Playoff Points

Stage Points

Daytona Results

Season Totals